In the United States, a recent study revealed that the H5N1 avian influenza virus has managed to make a species leap from birds to mammals, particularly cattle. This phenomenon has been analyzed by a team of researchers from Cornell New York Universitywho published the results in the journal Nature.
How did the species leap occur?
The H5N1 virus has shown the ability to be transmitted between cattlemost likely through airborne transmission. Genetic studies have confirmed that the virus, although dangerous, has not yet acquired the characteristics necessary for direct human-to-human transmission. However, the passage between animal species is a cause for concern for researchers.
“Epidemiological and genomic data indicate efficient cow-to-cow transmission after apparently healthy cattle were transported from their home farm to another state,” the study reads. This event highlights how the virus can cross species barriersincreasing risks to other animal species and, potentially, to humans.
Avian Flu What It Means for Human Health
Virologist Francesco Broccolo of the University of Salento commented that the study demonstrates aefficient transmission of H5N1 virus between mammalsa phenomenon never observed before with such intensity. Although infection in humans is currently rare, Broccolo warns that mutations could emerge that could adapt the virus to mammals and, in the future, facilitate transmission to humans.
Since January 2022, the avian flu virus has killed millions of domestic and wild birds in the United States. In the past two years, 1,000 cases have been identified 11 cases of avian influenza in humansfour of which are related to cattle farms. These data underline the importance of carefully monitoring the situation to prevent a possible pandemic.
The sequence genetics of the virus has shown that it can infect various types of cellssuch as those of the mammary gland in cattle, and that the virus is neutralized by pasteurization of milk. In addition, the virus has been transmitted to cats and raccoons, probably through the consumption of raw milk from infected cows. This suggests that prevention and control of diffusion of the virus require special attention to milking practices and management of the farms.
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